Building structure and method of making same



Sept. 4, 1934. e. DRESSER BUILDING STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAMEFiled July 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 4, 1934. G. L. DRESSERBUILDING STRUCTURE AND METHOD. OF MAKING SAME Filed July 27, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet Patented Sept. 4, 1934 1,972,439 7 BUILDING STRUCTURE ANDmrrnon OF MAKING SAME George L. Dresser, Albany, N. Y.

Application July 27, 1931, Serial No. 553,449

19 Claims.

This invention relates to building structures and methods of making thesame.

The present application is a continuation in part of mycopendingapplication Serial No. 486,- 840, filed October 6, 1930.

It has heretofore been .suggested that building structures, such, forinstance, as a floor, maybe formed or built up by securing an upperlayer of blocks or panels to a base or sub-floor by means of an adhesivesubstance or binder. Numerous floors have been laid in this way,particularly where it has been desired to have a floor comprising anornamental and serviceable wearing surface of hard wooden blocks,arranged in an attractive manner, mounted on a firm and solid base ofwood or concrete. Very considerable difiiculties have been met with,however, in the construction of such floors, particularly in applyingthe upper layer of blocks tothe sub- 20 floor. Generally the blocks havebeen applied singly, each being coated, on its under side at least, withan adhesive or binding substance, just prior to being finallypositioned. This has been a comparatively expensive procedure as well asa time consuming one, and the completed floor has oftentimes shownirregularities of block alignment and surface which detract from itsappearance and serviceability.

The present invention has for its general object the provision of animproved method of laying floors, or building up similar structures, bywhich a layer of blocks, panels, or other units can be secured inposition on a base or support quickly, conveniently and economically.Furthermore, by the practice of the improved meth- 0d, a floor or otherbuilt-up structure of highest quality is obtained, the provision ofwhich comprises another object of the invention. The invention isparticularly adapted to be practiced 40 in the laying of floors and willbe disclosed as employed in the laying of a floor with a concrete baseand upper layer of hardwood blocks, by way of example, but it will beunderstood that it may be profitably practiced in the construction ofpaneled walls and ceilings and in the fabrication of other structures.

Generally speaking, the method, as practiced in the laying of a floor,consists in first applying an adhesive or binding surface to thesubfioor, preferably as a continuous coating over the upper surface ofthe sub-floor, then emplacing the sections of the upper surface inposition on the sub-floor, and in finally softening the adhesive orbinding substance so that the softened adhesive is caused to makeintimate contact with the lower surfaces of the blocks, which togetherconstitute the upperfloor surface, and the upper surface of thesub-floor. When this adhesive is allowed to cool and harden, the severalblocks are firmly secured to the sub-floor and in the positions whichthey are intended to finally occupy in the completed floor.

I may apply the adhesive or binding substance to the sub-floor as aviscous liquid or semi-solid to form a continuous coating over thesub-floor and apply, in addition to this binding substance, a wirescreen to the sub-floor through which a current of electricity may bepassed after the upper surfacing of blocks is laid, so that the bindingmaterial is softened by the heat evolved from this wire screen, whichacts as an electrical resistance element. Alternatively, I may add thebinder to the wire screen at a point remote from that where the floor isto be laid, or the binder may be applied to the blocks themselves at aremote point, allowed to dry, and the binder coated blocks used at thepoint where the floor is being constructed, the blocks being laiddirectly upon a metallic resistance element of suitable character.

Finally, I prefer to quickly roll the-upper surface of the nearlycompleted floor, that is, roll this surface while the binder is stillsoft, with the end in viewof causing the lower surfaces of theindividual blocks to intimately contact with the binder and to insurethat the upper surfaces of these blocks lie in the same horizontalplane.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art, however, that thevarious steps of the novel method may be changed considerably to suitdifferentoperating conditions.

As the electrical resistance element is left in' place permanentlyintermediate the upper layer of flooring blocks and the sub-floor, it isobvious that, where the proper type of binder is employed, v the floormay be subsequently disassembled by reversing the steps of assembly, i.e., by passing an electric current through the resistance element and,when the heat evolved has been suflicient to soften the binder, to thenremove the individual blocks which together make up the upper surface.

A. further object of the invention is to provide improved types offlooring block from which the upper surface ofa built-up fioorof thisgeneral type may be constructed.

Still further objects of the invention are to provide easily accessiblemeans for effecting the electrical connections necessary in the carryingout of the process described, and to provide means for equalizing theflow of current through the resistance element in the vicinity of thecut away portions of the applied flooring, such, for example, as occurat the base of columns or par titions, or at similar interruptions inthe continuity of the floor.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings.

In Figure 1 a corner portion of a floor constructed in accordance withthe principles of my invention is illustrated in plan, partly brokenaway to show the sub-floor and theintermediate binding substance andresistance element;-

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig.1;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section on an enlarged scale through anintermediate portion of the flooring at a point between two of thestrips of resistance material;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate in perspective alternative forms of blocksor floor units adapted to be employed;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical apparatus and materialemployed in carrying out my improved method;

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the relativethicknesses of the various layers making up the floor, before theresistance element has been pressed into the binder;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary, partially diagrammatic plan view of anarrangement whereby the heating current is equalized at portions of theflooring where the resistance element is interrupted; and

Figure 10 is a view in vertical cross. section taken on line 10-10 ofFig. 9.

The sub-floor is indicated at 10, and this may be of any chosenconstruction. In the drawings it is illustrated as being of concrete,but the invention is in nowise limited to the use of any particularmaterials. The upper surface of, the sub-floor should be clean andsmooth and should be of such character that the binding material usedwill adhere thereto. The blocks 11 which together go to form the top orwearing surface of the floor are preferably elongated, as shown in thedrawings, and are preferably of wood or composition, but here again itwill be understood that the blocks may be of any desired shape and anymaterial which may be suitable as flooring material and to which abinder will adhere.

In the laying of the applied flooring (after the sub-floor has beencompleted) and in accordance with one method of practicing the novelprocess, the first step is to apply the adhesive or binding substance tothe upper surface of the subfloor. Although, within the purview of theinvention in its broader aspects any suitable or desired substance maybe employed in this connection, it is preferred to use an asphalt havinga melting point of about 155 F. and a penetration of 40 at 72 F.Asphalts of lower or higher melting points than this preferred examplemay be employed, and it will be understood that the present inventionmay be advantageously applied in any case wherein the adhesive orbinding substance is a solid at ordinary temperatures and whose meltingor fusing point is preferably not much over 200 F. which has been foundto be the most suitable and economical temperature to be attained by theheating unit with readily available electrical equipment. ,In specialcases, of course, this temperature may be exceeded if necessary and ifthe proper equipment is at hand.

The binder layer designated 12 in the drawpreferably hexagonal.

- material.

ings is applied to the sub-floor 10 preferably in a soft or liquid stateand of the approximate thickness of one eighth of an inch. A strip ofelectrical resistance material 15 is then laid on the layer of binderpreferably while the material is still soft, although it may, ifdesired, be applied after the binder substance has set. Although fordiffering installations the resistance element may be modified andassume various forms and di-@ mensions, experiment thus far has shownthat in the preferred example of the application of my invention, theresistance element should take the form of strips of wire screen ofabout 20 gauge and having a mesh of three quarters of an inch or oneinch in diameter, the interstices being The thickness of the resistanceelement will be about one sixteenth of an inch so that it may readily beembedded in the layer of binder material and still permit the binder toexpand or overflow into the grooves of the blocks, as will be describedlater. Also, as will be later explained, the strips of resistancematerial are preferably three feet wide and each about eighty feet inlength. After being laid upon the layer of binding material the stripsmay.

be rolled lightly to secure a slight initial penetration of theresistance element in the binder Although the resistance element may befabricated in various ways, it should be so designed that, when anelectrical current is passed through the element and heat developed, theheat can readily reach and soften substantially all of the bindingmaterial. In other words, the various members of the screen orresistance element should not be spaced too far apart for the purposeintended.

The blocks 11 are then laid up or positioned in any suitable attractivedesign upon the level or approximately level surface provided by thebinder substance and resistance material whereupon they are aligned andtightened in the positions that they are finally intended to assume inthe completed floor. The resistance element strips 15 are provided attheir ends with clamps or conductor bars 16 to which suitable wires orcables may be applied to connect the resistance elements with a suitablesource of current, the current being of such magnitude that theresistance element is caused to evolve sufficient heat to cause thehinder or adhesive to soften, become plastic and flow into intimatecontact with the upper surface of the sub-floor and the lower surfacesof the individual blocks. With the apparatus to be described, thisheating period will be about ten minutes in duration. Then, when thebinding material is liquefied, the top surfaces of the blocks may bepressed or rolled to make certain that the lower surfaces have propercontact with the adhesive or binding substance and with the resistanceelement 15 and that the upper surfaces of the blocks lie substantiallyin the same plane. The roller, shown at 18 in Figure 2, should be ofsufiicient weight not only to secure the blocks in intimate contact withthe binder, but also to force a portion of the binder into all openingsor gaps provided in the blocks but not of such weight as to force thebinding material to the upper surface of the blocks. During the rollingprocess the current may be gradually reduced until it is completely shutoff but the rolling should continue until the binder substance hascooled and set.

The rolling or pressing operation naturally brings the lower surfaces ofthe several blocks into intimate contact with the resistanceelesubmitted to a very heavy lateral pressure, but.

in certain instances, as where the block flooring is used in factoriesand there is a great deal of trafiic in one direction, this anchoringfunction of the resistance element is of material benefit.

It has been found, that for most purposes, this novel method of layingflooring provides such an even upper surface that no further finishingthereof is necessary; however, for more elaborate or refinedinstallations, the flooring may be finished off in any suitable manner,as by sanding, filling with paraflin or other waxes, varnishing orshellacking.

As has been explained before, the blocks may be subsequently removed ina 'very convenient manner by again passing a current through theresistance element and effecting the softening of the binding material.This is helpful in all cases where 'it is found necessary tooccasionally replace the floor.

As indicated heretofore, the blocks, panels, or other surface materialwhich is to be applied tb a sub-floor, wall, or other support or basemay be constructed of any desired or suitable material and in any shapeapplicable to the structure contemplated. For flooring purposes such asdescribed in the exemplary embodiment of the invention in thisspecification, it is preferred to employ blocks constructed of wood or asimilar mat'erial and which may take the forms illustrated in Figures 4,5 and 6 of the drawings. In Figure 4, there is shown a wooden blockwhich is adapted for general factory flooring construction and which maybe modified by increasing the thickness thereof and having the grainextend vertically for heavy duty purposes. This block, designated 11a,is preferably rectangular in plan and the upper portion 20 thereof hasthe shape of a parallelepiped. The lower portionv 21 thereof is providedwith downwardly converging walls which give this portion the form of aninverted truncated pyramid. A series of grooves 22 are provided in thelower surface of the blocks and these grooves, together with thewedgeshaped gaps 23 provided between the lower portions of adjoiningblocks, as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, provide spacesinto which the softened binding material mayflow during the applicationof the flooring so as to firmly unite the blocks to each other and tothe base 10.

In Figure 5 a slightly modified block 11b is shown which is particularlyadapted for use in houses and oflices. The lower portion is constructedin a similar manner to that just described in connection with the block11a but the upper portion is provided with longitudinal looksurface,indicated at 26, and cylindrically curved end surfaces, one of thesesurfaces 2'7 being convex and the opposite end surface being concave.

In addition, the side and end surfaces of the blocks are provided withhorizontal and vertical spacing lugs indicated respectively at 28 and29, which project laterally and insure that equal spaces are leftbetween the various blocks when the upper floor section is assembled.This block is also provided with longitudinal grooves 22 in its bottomsurface, these grooves, as previously mentioned, constituting reservoirsfor excess quantities of binder material which may be forced upwardlyduring the rolling of the applied floormg.

In laying a floor such as has been described, expansion spaces such asindicated at 30 in Figures 1 and 2 should be permitted to remain betweenthe main body of the flooring and the walls 31 of the building. Ifdesired, a single line of blocks 32 may be laid against the wall 31 andthe spaces 30 bridged over by suitable gratings or cover plates 33,which plates may be secured in position as by means of the screws 34. Asshown in Figure 3, similar openings 35 may be provided between theadjacent areas of the applied flooring which are underlaid by differentstrips of resistance material 15. A cover plate 36 may be used in thiscase which is adapted to be seated in suitable recesses or depressions37 provided in the end blocks of the adjoining areas. The recesses 3'7are slightly larger than the plate 36 so as to provide room forexpansion. Screws 38 may be used to secure the cover plate in positionalong one side of the opening 35. spaces or openings 30 and 35, besidesproviding expansion means, may also provide ducts for electrical wiring,pipes or the like and are also designed to provide access to the ends ofthe strips of resistance material 15 for the attachment of conductorsleading to the source of electrical current.

In Figure 7, there is illustrated diagrammati- (ally one form ofapparatus for generating, controlling, and applying the heating currentto the resstance strips 15. This suggested or preferred arrangementinvolves the use of a portable kilowatt motor generator set. the motorbeing indicated at M and being connected to a current main 40' as bymeans of a switch S. An alternating current single phase generator G isoperatively connected with the motor M and is provided with an exciter41. A volt meter and ammeter are installed in the output line asindicated'. Suitable switches S and S may be emplayed in line 42connecting the generator with the transformer T. The transformer T isprovided for stepping down the voltage to suit the wire resistanceelement requirements and is provided with means such as indicated at 43for adjusting the voltage output. Cables 45 lead from the transformer Ttothe resistance element 15 and are attached thereto by suitable connections with the clamps or end strips 16.

As the result of experiments, it was determined that the currentrequired was proportional to the width of the strips and the voltagenecessary is proportional to the length thereof, and in the preferredform of apparatus in which 20 gauge wire is used and the screens are ofthree quarter inch mesh, it was found that 200 amperes of current wererequired per foot of width and about one volt of potential per foot oflength. Therefore, since the portable generator units available seldomhave an output of over 700 am- These peres at 150 volts, the strips usedshould be about three feet wide by 150 or 160 feet in length. 'For mostinstallations, however, it will be found more convenient to provide aplurality of strips, the total length of which'is about 150 or 160 feetas,

. for example, where two strips 15 are employed sions andcharacteristics since any size of strip and strength of current may beused compatible with the conditions attending the particularinstallation. If, for example, suitable power lines are available thegenerator may be eliminated and strips of a width of five or six feetmay be employed, the current used in this case being about 1000 to 1200-amperes.

If, due to variations in the contour of the room or area to be covered,the strips of resistance material should be narrowed at any pointthroughout their length, such as by the occurrence of a column orpartition, novel means are provided by the present invention forequalizing the current at such narrowed. or interrupted portion of thestrip. Referring particularly to Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings, itwill be seen that the column 50 causes a gap in the strips 15a and 151).In order to prevent overheating of the portion 51 of the strip 151), thetransverse margins of the cutaway portion of the strip are provided withconductor clamps or bars 16 which are adapted to be connected by thevariable resistance device 55 of suitable construction, which is adaptedto be regulated so as to approximate the conductivity of the portionwhich has been cut out of the strip 15 and so replace this portion andequalize the flow of current through the element 15b. A similar devicemay, of course,

be employed in the gap of the strip 1511' caused by the other half ofthe column 50.

The invention provides a simple method of quickly and inexpensivelysecuring one or more blocks, either of wood, tile, or composition, to abase or support. It is a particularly suitable method for laying floorsbut is not limited to.

such use and may be employed in the building up of other structures; andwherever the terms floor", flooring, sub-flooring" or similarexpressions are used in the subjoined cla ms, they are intended to coverall equivalent-structures. The binder may, as has been previouslypointed out, be placed upon the sub-floor or base as a liquid coating,placed on the screen as a coating at a. point remote from the placewhere the floor is being installed, or may be applied to the boards,blocks, or slabs. In fact, many minor variations of the invention may bemade in adapting the same to different operating conditions. Theresistance element may be formed in various ways, as the practical manskilled in the art will appreciate.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. The method of laying sectional flooring upon a base or sub-floorwhich consists in depositing an adhesive or binding substance on thesubfloor, placing a plurality of blocks or the like upon the bindingsubstance, the blocks being arranged in the positions in which they areto appear in the finished floor, causing a purely physical change in theadhesive or binding substance whereby its chemical composition remainsthe same, to effect the softening of said substance so that itintimately contacts with the sub-floor and the bottoms of the blocks,and permitting the binding substance to harden.

2. The method of laying sectional flooring upon a base or sub-floorwhich consists'in depositing anadhesive or binding substance on thesub-floor, which binding substance may be softenedupon the applicationof heat-placing a plurality of blocks or the like upon the bindingsubstance, the blocks being arranged in the positions in which they areto appear in the finished fioor, effecting the softening of the adhesiveor binding substance by the application of heat so that this substanceintimately contacts with the sub-floor and the bottoms of the blocks,and thereafter permittingthe binding substance to cool and harden.

3. The method of laying sectional flooring upon a base or sub-floor,which consists in depositing an adhesive or binding substance on thesubfloor together with an electrical resistance appliance, the bindingsubstance being of the type which may be softened by heat, placing aplurality of blocks or the like upon the binding substance, passing anelectric current through the resistance appliance to cause the same toevolve heat in sufiicient quantity to soften the bindingv substance, sothat this substance intimately contacts with the sub-floor and thebottoms of the blocks, and thereafter interrupting the current flow andpermitting the adhesive substance to cool and harden.

4. The method of laying sectional flooring upon a base or sub-floorwhich consists in applying a coating of adhesive material to .thesub-floor, placing a. metallic screen upon the coating of adhesivematerial, superposing a plurality of blocks adhesive or bindingsubstance on the sub-floor.

together with an electrical resistance appliance, the binding substancebeing of the type which may be softened by heat, placing a plurality ofblocks or the like upon the binding substance, passing an electriccurrent through the resistance appliance to cause the same to evolveheat in suilicient-quantity to soften the binding substance, so thatthis substance intimately contacts with thesub-floor and the bottomsurfaces of the blocks, rolling or otherwise exerting pressure upon'theupper faces of the blocks while the binding substance is soft, andthereafter interrupting the current flow and permitting the adhesivesubstance to cool and harden.

6. The method of laying sectional flooring upon a base or sub-floorwhich consists in depositing an adhesive or binding substance on thesub-floor, placing a plurality of blocks or the like upon the bindingsubstance, the blocks being arranged in the positions in which they areto appear in the finished floor, causing a purely physical change in theadhesive or binding substance whereby its chemical composition remainsthe same, to effect the softening of said substance so that it intiandthereafter permitting the binding substance to harden.

7. A floor structure comprising a sub-floor, a metallic screen upon thesub-floor, said screen 5 being of electrical resistance material, aplurality of blocks superposed upon the screen in frictional contacttherewith and together forming a floor surface, and a layer of adhesiveor binding material intermediate the blocks and the floor and terminalstrips firmly secured to the margins of said screen for the attachmentof electrical conductors whereby a current ofelectricity may be passedthrough said screen for the purpose described.

5 8. The method of securing a block or panel to a base or support whichconsists in bringing a surface of the block into parallelism with asurface of the support, with a layer of a binding material in dry formbetween said surfaces, heating the binding material to cause the same tobecome plastic and to adhere to the mutually facing surfaces of theblock and base, and thereafter permitting the binding material to cooland harden.

9. In a construction of the class described,

means for securing built-up flooring or like covering material to asub-floor or other support,

comprising a layer of normally solid adhesive or binding substanceinterposed between said support and said covering material, and aheating ele- 0 ment embedded therein, for effecting the softening ofsaid substance in applying or removing said covering material.

10. In a construction of the class described, means for securingbuilt-up flooring or like cover- 5 ing material to a sub-floor or othersupport, comprising a layer of normally solid asphaltic masticinterposed between said support and said covering material, and anelectrical heating element embedded therein, for effecting the softeningof said .0 substance in applying or removing said covering material.

11. In a construction of the class described,

means for securing built-up flooring or like covering material to asub-floor or other support, comprising a layer of normally solidasphaltic mastic interposed between said support and said coveringmaterial, and a wire mesh comprising an electrical heating elementembedded therein, for effecting the softening of said substance inapplying or removing said covering material.

12. In a construction of the class described, means for securingbuilt-up flooring or like covering material to a sub-floor or othersupport, comprising a layer of asphalt having a melting point ofapproximately 155 F. interposed between said support and saidcovering'material, and a heating element embedded therein, for effectingthe softening of said substance in applying or removing said coveringmaterial.

13. In a construction of the class described, means for securingbuilt-up flooring or like cover-'- ing material to a sub-floor or othersupport, comprising a layer of asphalt having a melting point ofapproximately 155 F. and a penetration of 40 at 72 F. interposed betweensaid support and saidcovering material, and a heating element embeddedtherein,

for effecting the softening of said substance in applying or removingsaid covering material.

14. In a construction of the class described, means for securingbuilt-up flooring or like covering material to a sub-floor or othersupport, comprising a layer of normally solid adhesive or bindingsubstance interposed between said support and said covering material, anelectrical heating element embedded therein, for effecting the softeningof said substance in applying or removing said covering material andterminal strips adapted to make close electrical contact with a marginof 'said element for attachment to a source of current.

15. In a method of removing built-up flooring, as for example, forreplacement, said flooring comprising a surface layer bonded to thesubfioor by'means of a layer of mastic with which is associated anelectrical heating element, the. steps of passing an electric currentthrough said heating element, and removing said surface layer when saidmastic has softened sufficiently. 16. In a built-up floor constructionor the like, comprising a sub-floor, 'a binder layer and a surfacelayer, a sheet of electrical resistance material associated with saidbinder layer, a portion of said sheet being cut away, as, for example toaccommodate a variation in contour of the building, a variableresistance device adapted to connect the margins of said cut-awayportions to bridge the same, whereby the resistance of the adjacentportions of said sheet may be equalized.

1'7. In a method of applying a built-up wall or floor covering,comprising a base,-a binder layer, a surface layer, and a sheet ofelectrical resistance material associated with said binder layer, thestep of passing sufficient current through said sheet to heat it to atemperature of approximately 200 F.

18. In a method of applying a built-up wall or floor covering,comprising a base; a binder layer,

a surface layer, and a sheet of electrical resistance materialcomprising a three quarter inch mesh screen of 20 gauge wire associatedwith said binder layer, the step of passing current through said sheetat the rate of 200 amperes per foot of width thereof and one volt perfoot of length.

19. A-floor construction or the like comprising, in combination, asub-floor or base, a surface layer of flooring, an intermediate layer ofnormally solid binder material disposed upon said subfloor, a pluralityof sheets of electrical resistance material intimately associated withsaid binder material for heating and thus softening the same for thepurpose described, said surface layer be- 3 ing interrupted adjacentsaid margins of the sheets of resistance material to provide access tosaid sheets for connection thereto to a suitable source of current, andremovable cover plates bridging the spaces provided by saidinterruptions in said surface layer of flooring, whereby access may behad to said sheets subsequently to the installation of said floor as forthe purpose of softening said binder material for removal of theflooring.

GEORGE L. DRESSER.

